TEHRAN – Home to a rich circuit of travel gems, North Khorasan province seeks to attract sightseers and pilgrims from Pakistan who routinely visit the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in a neighboring province.

“Pilgrims and travelers from Pakistan are welcomed to North Khorasan province, which has provided the necessary ground to provide services to international travelers,” the provincial director Ali Mostofian said on Wednesday.

Situated in the northeast of Iran, North Khorasan enjoys numerous intact natural landscapes, good weather, and a rich cultural tapestry, the official said. “We are interested in cultural exchanges as well.”

Mostofian made the remarks during a meeting with Muhammad Shahryar, the consul-general of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, saying folklore, anthropology, ethnic rituals, local music, and pure Turkmen horses are among the most central tourism topics in North Khorasan, which we can use to take steps towards tourism development.

Shahryar, for his part, said that using existing capacities, creating the necessary infrastructure, and providing favorable conditions in North Khorasan will attract Pakistani tourists and pilgrims of Imam Reza (AS).

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mostofian announced the readiness to conduct joint archaeological excavations in the form of a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan.

North Khorasan is one of the leading provinces in the field of archeology and international excavations, which has been cooperating with the archaeological institutes of Germany, China, and the Louvre Museum, among several others, the official stated.

Most foreign tourists usually pass straight through North Khorasan in transit between Mashhad and Gorgan, but if you have time to explore, it's worth diverting south from the capital, Bojnurd, towards Esfarayen, famed for its wrestling tournaments, the remarkable citadel of Belqays and the partly preserved stepped village of Roein some 20km north. Although a lot of new buildings spoil the effect in parts of the village, Roein is considered Khorasan’s answer to the well-known Masuleh and is a possible starting point for hikes to little-visited mountain villages.

The history of the Khorasan region, which extends, along the north, from the Amu Darya (Oxus River) westward to the Caspian Sea and, along the south, from the fringes of the central Iranian deserts eastward to the mountains of central Afghanistan, stretches back to very ancient times.

As mentioned by Britannica, the Khorasan region was part of the Achaemenian Empire of the 6th to 4th century BC and the Parthian Empire, which spanned from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century CE.

Khorasan, as a result of its troubled history, is peopled by a great variety of ethnic groups. Modern Iranian Khorasan is largely agricultural, producing fruits, cereals, cotton, tobacco, oil plants, saffron, and some silk. Livestock is plentiful; wool, lambskins, and goat hair are exported, and poultry is also raised.

The mineral products include turquoise, salt, iron, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, magnesite, and coal. Cement, processed foods, ginned cotton, carded wool, sugar, pharmaceuticals, animal fodder, and textiles are manufactured products. Handicrafts include jewelry, rugs and carpets, furs, dolls, glassware, and hand-loomed cloth.

AFM